One of the most important aspects of your college life will be living with a roommate. If you have spent the last 18 years or so with your own room, this may be very new to you, or if you've shared a room, you may be an old pro at negotiating personal space. Either way, the relationship you develop with your roommate will be one of the most important during your college experience.

In your first week, RLAs will help you complete a Roommate Agreement, which will give you a chance to set the ground rules for your year-long relationship. Each of you should feel free to state how you feel about a particular issue; take some time to think about the different things you will need to be happy in a cooperative living environment and be prepared to honestly discuss them with your new roommate.

Think about contacting your roommate before you arrive in the fall so that your first conversation doesn't happen during the hectic move-in day. Please consider the following discussion starters to begin developing your relationship with your new roommate.

Getting to know each other/breaking the ice:

•How did you decide to go to Lawrence?
•What are you most excited about?
•What classes interest you?
•What do you like to do in your spare time? Activities?
•What kind of music do you listen to?
•What kind of movies/sports do you like?

Sharing the space and other practical matters:

•Will you study in the room or elsewhere?
•When do you like to study?
•Are you neat or messy?
•Are you a morning or a night person?
•Discuss your sleeping needs and schedules.
•How do you feel about guests/visitors - who they are, how late they stay, and how long are the visits?
•What kinds of things will you be bringing?

◦computer?
◦refrigerator?
◦carpet?

Other items to discuss:

•computer and appliance use
•arranging and decorating the room (floor plans)
•keeping the room door locked